


Merry Christmas

by jimmoriartyisthebestboss



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: M/M, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Post-Captain America: The First Avenger, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, cursing, post-Avengers: Endgame
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-27 11:01:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17160806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jimmoriartyisthebestboss/pseuds/jimmoriartyisthebestboss
Summary: Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes have not celebrated Christmas since 1939. Now, they finally have a chance to celebrate but things go wrong when they get into a fight over tree decorating. Can they reconcile in time for them to have Christmas?





	Merry Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> I wanted to do a Christmas story for these two and this was mostly inspired by the fact that I heard many couples get into fights when it comes to decorating their tree. I thought it would be funny to see how these two would get into it if push came to shove.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy!

Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes had not had a Christmas since 1939. The years after that had been spent apart, spent at war, and fighting for their ability to survive. It was rare they ever got a chance to celebrate any holidays and this was the first time they had felt settled enough to have a proper Christmas. The idea to celebrate had come when Shuri had asked Steve about his religion and he was explaining the holiday’s celebrated by his religion. She had become fixated on the idea of Christmas as she had heard of it but never seen it celebrated.

This had prompted Shuri to demand that her family have Christmas with Steve and Bucky planning the festivities. Truthfully, Steve and Bucky didn’t mind and had jumped at the opportunity. The last year had been one of hell after facing off against Thanos and saving the world, let alone the galaxy. It was only right for them to get some time to themselves and to celebrate. Everything had gone smoothly with the decorating and the picking of presents for everyone. That was until it came to the tree.

Bucky and Steve had set up smaller trees throughout their apartment and decorated them, but they had yet to decorate the bigger tree. They had saved this task for the evening before Christmas and as they laid out their bits and pieces to put on the tree, the arguing had started. It started with Steve insisting the fake tree, that they had spent an hour separating the branches on, should be put in the corner near the dining table. Bucky had disagreed saying near the couch was a better spot as people could trip over the tree getting out of their chairs at dinner. The two had compromised to put it at a halfway point between the dining table and the couch.

Then came the lights. Steve couldn’t remember lights becoming so tangeled especially new ones out of the box and spent a good part of twenty minutes cursing at the things. Sitting down next to him, Bucky takes the lights from Steve’s hands and puts them in his own lap.

“If you keep shaking ‘em they’re going to break and then we’ll be shit out of luck,” Bucky jokes, starting in on the tangles with deft fingers.

“How the hell are you doing that? Those things are fucking impossible,” Steve glares at the lights as if they had personally offended him.

“You gotta take it easy with ‘em punk,” Bucky continues to untangle the lights, strand by strand before looking up at Steve. “You can start putting the ornaments on, I’ve got these.”

Soft Christmas music plays through the room as Steve huffs a sigh and gets up, picking up the box of ornaments closest to him. Bucky continues to untangle the lights, singing softly to himself although he stops when he sees Steve bunching the ornaments in one place.

“Stevie?”

“Yes Buck?”

“Could you,” Bucky hesitates, “could you maybe spread them out a bit?”

Steve huffs another sigh and starts taking off some of the ornaments and putting them on other parts of the tree. Steve hadn’t remembered decorating being this much of a pain. It was possible they had less stuff to put up when they had lived in their tiny apartment in Brooklyn, but this seemed next to impossible. He tosses the now empty box to the side and grabs another as Bucky stands up.

“Ready,” Bucky says, holding out one end of the lights for Steve to place at the top of the tree.

They silently work their way down until Bucky can plug in the lights which thankfully light up. Bucky steps back to admire the lights before coming up beside Steve and slipping an arm around his waist. He reaches down and grabs one of the ornaments from Steve and puts it on the upper part of the tree.

“That doesn’t go there Buck.”

Bucky starts at the words and looks at the ornament. It doesn’t seem to stick out amongst the others, and he glances over at Steve.

“What do you mean?”

“Those ones go closer to the bottom.”

“Stevie, they’re ornaments. They go wherever the hell the tree is.”

“No, they don’t Bucky. Lighter ornaments go on the bottom whereas heavier ones go on top.”

“Wouldn’t heavier go on the bottom just in case they fall and break?”

“No, lighter ones on the bottom so it doesn’t weigh down the tree.”

“Steve come on-“

“Don’t Steve me.”

“Fine. Jesus,” Bucky snatches the ornament from the branch and stalks around to the back of the tree. “And put more ornaments back here. They’ll be able to see its reflection in the window.”

There’s the sound of ornaments being dropped the floor and Steve stalks around the back.

“Don’t give me an attitude Bucky.”

“I’m not, I’m just saying-“

“Look, lighter on the bottom is how my ma taught me. Are you going to say that ma was wrong?”

“No but-“

“Then don’t tell me how to decorate the tree.”

“I’m making a _suggestion_ Steve. I’ll do the back if it pisses you off that much.”

“Whatever,” Steve stalks off around the other side of the tree and Bucky’s shoulders drop as he grabs at the ornaments closest to him.

They stay quiet as the Christmas music pipes through the room, filling the silence with happy music. The tense mood doesn’t shift as the two work around each other. They are careful to avoid eye contact until all the ornaments are on the tree.

Steve steps back to admire his work before leaning around to look at Bucky who is staring out the window.

“Buck? I’m going to get the presents,” Steve says, shifting awkwardly when Bucky doesn’t look at him.

“We have to do the angel,” Bucky gets the words out before Steve shifts away from him and Steve stops to stare back at him.

“Ah right. Okay. I’ll put it up. Let me get a chair.”

Steve disappears around the other side, riffling through their mess until he finds the angel. When he turns around, he is met with the sight of Bucky standing behind him and he nearly jumps out of his skin.

“Fuck. Jesus Christ Bucky what the hell?”

Bucky cracks a smile at Steve’s words before taking in the angel in Steve’s hands.

“I’ll lift you.”

Steve blinks several times, trying to comprehend what Bucky is saying. Then it dawns on him. After his ma had died and Steve had moved in with Bucky, Bucky would always lift him to put the angel on top of the tree. Blushing a deep red, Steve shakes his head.

“I’m not exactly as small as I was in the 30’s Buck.”

“I can still lift you Stevie. Come on.”

Bucky holds out his hand and Steve takes it. He smiles as Bucky bends down behind him and he’s lifted into the air on Bucky’s shoulders. Steve laughs as he tries to balance on Bucky’s shoulder and finally leans forward to place the angel on top. Steve catches a glimpse of the two of them and he can’t help but laugh again, even as Bucky sets him back down on his feet.

Managing to extract himself from Steve, Bucky stumbles back and falls onto the floor with a laugh. Steve leans over him, taking him in as he offers a hand to help Bucky up. Bucky, with a glint of mischief in his eyes, pulls Steve down next to him with a laugh and the two look up at the tree. 

“I’m sorry I snapped at you earlier,” Steve says, laying his head on Bucky’s shoulder.

Bucky exhales slowly and shakes his head.

“I’m sorry for trying to boss you around.”

“We need a mediator in this situation. We can’t be trusted to decorate a tree without getting into it.”

“Next time, we’ll make Shuri mediate for us.”

“Sounds perfect,” Steve says with a laugh, pushing himself up. “We need to put the presents under the tree still.”

Bucky smiles as he takes Steve hand this time and they stand up. The sun had sunken behind the mountains and the tree glitters against the window.

“You were right Buck, it looks beautiful.”

Bucky smiles as he leans into Steve’s side and they take in the tree together.

* * *

  
The Christmas party was a success. Shuri had gone full out with her Christmas outfit and had nearly tackled Bucky and Steve to the ground for her presents. They had all exchanged gifts then had a dinner together. Shuri had convinced Steve and Bucky that of course the mistletoe was always there and demanded they kiss which they indulged happily. The Wakandan royal family had enjoyed the addition of Christmas to their holidays and promised to celebrate next year.

The greatest gift Bucky and Steve were given was the gift of each other. The time they have together, from now until the end of the line, is the only gift they will ever need.


End file.
